The Royal Countryside Fund - Supporting Rural Communities Programme

Aims/priorities: The Royal Countryside Fund launched their new strategy on 26 April 2024 in which they set out their vision for the Fund’s work over the next four years (2024 to 2028). 

The Fund will be taking a more holistic approach to support; facilitating, connecting, and funding, with a focus on long term sustainability. The aim is to “power up, not prop up” communities, to inspire change and encourage economic vibrancy.

The new funding programme is for work that falls under four key themes:

  • Keeping young people in the countryside: support for projects which increase access to skills training and employment opportunities in rural communities.
  • Powering up rural communities: support for projects which aim to provide financial benefits to the locality, addressing local needs.
  • Environmental sustainability: support for community-driven projects which aim to increase the environmental sustainability of their community through reducing emissions/environmental impact, creating positive benefits for the community and improving the quality of the local environment.
  • Building emergency resilience in rural areas: support for communities to develop preventative measures and plans to respond to the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events, helping them to be better prepared to cope with and recover from emergencies. Communities are invited to bid for money that will create tangible change. 

The new programme is also looking for organisations to demonstrate how they meet one or more of these key characteristics:

  • Community-led.
  • Working towards a long-term vision.
  • Facilitate collaboration/connectedness.
  • Demonstrate innovation.

Who can apply? Applications will be accepted from properly constituted, not-for-profit and community-led organisations in rural areas with an income of less than £500,000 per year, that can demonstrate how beneficiaries will be drawn directly from the local rural community. 

The following types of organisations may apply:

  • Constituted voluntary or community organisations
  • Registered, exempt or excepted charities
  • Charitable incorporated organisations (CIO)
  • Not-for-profit company limited by guarantee
  • Community interest companies (CIC)
  • Community benefit society
  • Co-operative society

Support will be focused on isolated rural areas  with populations usually less than 4,000, where the activity is required due to a lack of alternative services in that locality. Applications from small villages and towns, or rurally dispersed areas, will be prioritised over  those from larger towns, which may be better served.

Note: Organisations in Cumbria and Northumberland may not apply to this round (2025) as the Trust's recent joint programme focused on these counties.

Applications will be accepted from across the UK and particularly encouraging applications from Wales and Northern Ireland.

Grant amount: Up to £25,000 to be spent over a period of up to 24 months.

Projects must start within six months of the agreement start date and all projects must be completed by June 2027.

Application process: The Fund's new, reshaped grant programme will open for Expressions of Interest on 10 January 2025.

The new guidance notes are available on the Fund's website.

There is a two-stage application process:

  • The first step is to send a short video and complete a simple ‘Expression of Interest’ (EOI) form by the deadline of 21 February 2025 (midday).
  • Shortlisted organisations will be invited to submit a full proposal between 22 March 2025 and 19 April 2025.

Successful applicants will be notified in late May/early June 2025.

Deadline: Friday 21 February 2025 (midday).

Contact information: Email: grants@countrysidefund.org.uk

Website: Supporting Rural Communities - The Royal Countryside Fund